Urban Defibrillator

A defibrillator is a device that can administer an electric shock to the heart of an unconscious patient to bring it back into a normal rhythm. The Urban Defibrillator is a playful 'hack' of a bus or tram stop. One person alone cannot operate this artistic machine: five people must touch a (harmless) contact at the same time. The effect that you see and hear symbolizes a poetic discharge of social tensions that often occur in the urban environment. The work is an invitation to actively explore social spaces and your personal boundaries. Try speaking to a stranger. Only risk for a social shock!

Production: Festival Kanal, Brussels, 2012
First developments at Timelab, Gent during Spring Camp 2012
Thanks to FoAM for the use of the workshop.